Full Body Recovery because Illness + Fatigue = Binge

This has not been a good food weekend...or a good workout week...

My immune system crashed this week...I woke up Tuesday with a head cold, yeast infection AND my 1st ever cold sore - you have GOT to be kidding me!! Needless to say, I felt like crap and struggled to eat healthy because when I'm sick I ALWAYS reach for the carbs. Also, due to my lack of energy being so run down I forced myself to get to the gym a couple days earlier in the week, but couldn't do anything except work Thursday, Friday and Saturday because that's all the energy I had.

Yesterday was probably the worse. I spent the afternoon/evening napping and eating. I was so full, but just couldn't stop. I really don't understand why I do this. I had a bad week of feeling ill and dealing with stressful people, ended up feeling bad about myself and hopeless towards life and then took out all of my emotions and self-hatred in the most disgusting way - by stuffing my face. Writing it now makes me sigh, shake my head at myself and feel so guilty and stupid. Yet in the moment I can't stop it from happening and this is something I NEED to change...

This morning I woke up feeling a lot better. I had energy and a desire to turn things back around. I had decided Friday evening that I needed to do the Cinch Diet again this week because during the week I struggled so much to keep on track and the Cinch is just really easy. I also know that the diet is effective...I am considering doing an every other week Cinch week...but we will see how this week and the one after go before I make that hard commitment. I know my blood sugar is going to be low if I follow it completely, which didn`t let me exercise as much as I wanted to last time. Because of this, I have decided to swap the Almond Butter in the evening for a Peanut Butter Cookie Lara bar, which includes dates for extra energy.

For one, I am totally addicted to PB and this is a HUGE treat to get to have one daily. PLUS, without a jar of nut butter in my fridge to turn to I will definitely eat less fat and condensed calories. I am also allowing myself 1 cup of raw baby carrots daily for extra carbs and calories and bought apples in case I want to swap one of those for raspberries as a pre-workout snack. I will continue to allow myself the Chia and post-workout Vega Protein Shake.

SO....basically I have re-invented the Cinch Diet, we`ll call it the Calorie-Enhanced, Variety-Increased Cinch Diet ;)

I restarted my exercise regime this morning with a full-body workout I found on the Fitness Rx Website. This is a fantastic magazine, which I have been reading and doing workouts from for at least a decade. It ties for my favorite workout magazine with Oxygen Magazine because they both have great workout, fitness tips, research-based articles and diets. I need something to keep me occupied during all the cardio I do, so I always have some magazine on the go. I`m looking forward to the September issue of Fitness Rx, as online it advertises a ``30 Day Total Body Transformation Program`` inside that may be fun to try!

Here`s the workout I did today...I did it 2 times through because the last time I attempted it with a girlfriend of mine, we did 3 cycles and my Ass hurt for 4 full days after!! This is by no means a bad thing, but I want to be able to get to the gym tomorrow and do Pump Class on Wednesday, which I was unable to do last time due to insanely sore muscles. That does tell you what an amazing workout it is tho...  

Bikini Body Fitness Plan

Written by Gina Aliotti Saturday, 23 June 2012 01:00

Gina’s Workout Plan:

Cardio: 5-6x/week 40-45 minutes. No matter what, just get your heart rate up for a minimum of 40 minutes a day, 5-6x/week. Walk, run, bike, jump rope, use your favorite cardio machine, no matter what just move daily!

Three to four times a week, work out in the gym or outside. Consider my Summer Circuit Training Plan to help you get in your resistance training while increasing your heart rate and burning calories!

Summer Circuit Training Plan

*All exercises are done for 15 reps, moving from one exercise to another until workout is complete. Repeat two to three times based on fitness level or time allotted. Have fun!   

Alternating lunges holding dumbbells (12.5 lb bilat)

Wide deep squats with combination shoulder presses (12.5 lb bilat)

Water break

Lunge with combination side lateral raises (I did walking lunges with 7.5 lb bilat)

Bench step-ups (12.5 lb bilat, I added a leg lift at the top of each rep)

Water break

Assisted pull-ups (50 lb on assisted machine)

Assisted triceps dips (I did unassisted with 10kg weight on my legs)

Floor crunches (I did incline sit-ups with a 10kg weight or used the crunch machine with 20 lbs)

Water break

Bicep curls with combination front presses (palms facing face, 12.5 lb bilat)

Push-ups

Jump squats (I combined these 2 into 15 blurpees - KILLER!!!)

Water break

Repeat 2-3 times

Doing it twice instead of 3 times made for a much better workout! I was still totally beat afterwards, but didn`t feel light-headed or unable to do my post-workout cardio. Tomorrow I will go back to my Jamie Eason LiveFit workout doing Day 48 http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer-phase-2-day-48.html. I am hoping to workout Monday through Wednesday and depending how I feel will do Thursday or Friday, giving myself the other as a rest that day.

Now...I start my Revised Cinch Diet Prep!